Visiting this working tapestry factory is like stepping back in time. Founded by Felipe V in 1721, it gave Spain its own version of Louis XIV’s Gobelins Manufactory in Paris. Almost 3 centuries later, artisans still make rugs and wall tapestries at the original handlooms. Watching their skilled fingers at work will give you a new appreciation for this time-honored craft—a square meter can take up to a year to complete. Francisco de Goya created the designs for Real Fábrica tapestries that still grace the walls of the Palacio Real and El Escorial, and Alfonso XIII insisted the carpets at the Ritz be woven here. When you’ve finished watching the weavers, you can view Goya’s original cartoons as well as beautiful examples of traditional and modern designs. The factory is just to the east of Atocha train station.